Topping D30 DAC Measurement and Review

[Ron Texas]

Red trace is with Windows volume at 35, green trace Windows volume at 75. I found, and removed, some old xmos driver files, but it made no difference.

 

[Deleted member 2944]

You need to measure the output of the D30 directly. Acoustic measurements bring all sorts of other variables into the mix.

Dave.

 

[Jimmy]

CS4398 (and almost all modern DAC ICs) has internal volume control, and at least with some XMOS drivers there's a slider (L/R) for that purpose. However I don't believe there will be any audible differences of using it compared for example to something like foobar or jriver software implementations (32/64 bit floating point).

 

[Ron Texas]

I was probably wrong about loudness compensation in the internal volume control of the D30. It appears to be in the Windows 10 volume control.

 

[FireLion]

Actually been enjoying it for the last few days, I might put a socket in where the opamps is(D30). Sacrilege I know but I like to tinker.

Have the opportunity to test the D10 this week, I'll keep the one which sounds the best. Amp is pretty transparent.

 

[El_Konrado]

If something goes wrong with a D30 it's no big deal to throw it out since it only cost about $120 in the first place. The UDH-100 costs five times as much, is minimal on features except for the headphone amp. User comments on the D30 are uniformly good.

I would not pay market price for UDH-100 tbh, but for a second hand unit you can get one for 2-3 times D30 price and sound quality is huge. I wrote it because NuForce units did not measure well on this forum so that would suggest D30 for example offers better quality because of higher sinad score etc. The thing is an actual listening tests show night and day difference between the units in favour of NuForce DAC and the tests being done on the same setup used by many years before on the same recordings. D30 midrange is pretty poor compared to higher end DACs, also low range isn't controlled as good as it could be. For the price D30 is absolutely stunning, especially a price for brand new unit. But if we talk second hand you can do better while spending not so much more.

Again, I only wrote it because some people on this forum seem to think the better sinad score, etc. the better sound quality etc. but it doesnt work like this unfortunately. There is no better way of deciding which unit is the best than testing it in your system for a couple of days.

 

[Jimster480]

I would not pay market price for UDH-100 tbh, but for a second hand unit you can get one for 2-3 times D30 price and sound quality is huge. I wrote it because NuForce units did not measure well on this forum so that would suggest D30 for example offers better quality because of higher sinad score etc. The thing is an actual listening tests show night and day difference between the units in favour of NuForce DAC and the tests being done on the same setup used by many years before on the same recordings. D30 midrange is pretty poor compared to higher end DACs, also low range isn't controlled as good as it could be. For the price D30 is absolutely stunning, especially a price for brand new unit. But if we talk second hand you can do better while spending not so much more.

Again, I only wrote it because some people on this forum seem to think the better sinad score, etc. the better sound quality etc. but it doesnt work like this unfortunately. There is no better way of deciding which unit is the best than testing it in your system for a couple of days.

It does actually work that way. SINAD isn't everything but I have found that Amir's homegrown "linearity" score is the most accurate for me. This is based on DAC's that I have actually heard and tested out myself.
If you use the D30 over USB it is quite good, there are a few DAC's which are better but you will be hard pressed to tell the difference without analytical listening.

 

[Jimmy]

Your amp looks really nice, it's a Weiliang E600, pretty cheap on eBay. Do you have specs for it (I suspect 10 ohm output impedance single ended and probably 2x balanced)?, the outputs also seem to be capacitive coupled (DC protection?), but for the asking price I doubt that the BOM necessary to build it could be purchased at regular electronics distributor.

Actually been enjoying it for the last few days, I might put a socket in where the opamps is. Sacrilege I know but I like to tinker.

Have the opportunity to test the D10 this week, I'll keep the one which sounds the best. Amp is pretty transparent.

View attachment 29613

 

[Jimster480]

This looks like the amp:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/E600-Full-...163129?hash=item26211ad239:g:XTcAAOSwe5tdHc-q

The output chip uses TI high-end headphone amplifier chip TPA6120, TPA6120A2 is a current feedback type amplifying circuit.

Same chip as the A30 so likely 10ohm output impedance minimum.

 

[FireLion]

This looks like the amp:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/E600-Full-...163129?hash=item26211ad239:g:XTcAAOSwe5tdHc-q

The output chip uses TI high-end headphone amplifier chip TPA6120, TPA6120A2 is a current feedback type amplifying circuit.

Same chip as the A30 so likely 10ohm output impedance minimum.

I'm currently opamp rolling, oh and my Jotunheim is for sale. Power on this is through the roof much more than Jotunheim to my ears, I can't get to 50% on low gain on T50RP driver.

 

[El_Konrado]

It does actually work that way. SINAD isn't everything but I have found that Amir's homegrown "linearity" score is the most accurate for me. This is based on DAC's that I have actually heard and tested out myself.
If you use the D30 over USB it is quite good, there are a few DAC's which are better but you will be hard pressed to tell the difference without analytical listening.

I can assure that UDH-100 performance vs D30 is night and day in favour of NuForce DAC. Both tested via USB, in fact UDH-100 is a USB only DAC, I do admit though UDH-100 performance is much better than an actual price range and simply says is just a must have for anyone who is only interested about USB connection. Not that long I was praising D30 because it sounded better than many others pieces of gear I tried and compared, I would not blindly believe in factors like sinad etc. bear in mind that there is a certain point where things become inaudible and some companies concentrate on other things than making inaudible more inaudible as that simply doesnt make any sense.

This is why it is best to test items like D/A converters in your own system, best for a couple of days, switch back to your old unit every now and then. After a few days you can pick up certain aspects where they differ. Still I would gladly pay D30 asking price if I was after a brand new DAC.

 

[Ron Texas]

Night and day?

 

[FireLion]

I can assure that UDH-100 performance vs D30 is night and day in favour of NuForce DAC. Both tested via USB, in fact UDH-100 is a USB only DAC, I do admit though UDH-100 performance is much better than an actual price range and simply says is just a must have for anyone who is only interested about USB connection. Not that long I was praising D30 because it sounded better than many others pieces of gear I tried and compared, I would not blindly believe in factors like sinad etc. bear in mind that there is a certain point where things become inaudible and some companies concentrate on other things than making inaudible more inaudible as that simply doesnt make any sense.

This is why it is best to test items like D/A converters in your own system, best for a couple of days, switch back to your old unit every now and then. After a few days you can pick up certain aspects where they differ. Still I would gladly pay D30 asking price if I was after a brand new DAC.

I will have a D10 on Friday to compare, I might prefer the ESS sound. I would love to see a new version with 9038 or perhaps an AKM version.

Anyone ever heard a Northern Fidelity DAC?

 

[FireLion]

oops didn't mean to double up!

 

[FireLion]

Nice 7" set of RCA cables that was $11 for the pair on the back of the D30.

 

[El_Konrado]

Night and day?

In my opinion yes, I did not hear other NuForce DACs, but UDH-100 is amazing for the price. Difference is all across the range, bass going way deeper while being better controlled, more energetic and quicker, midrange sounds fuller and thicker, voices are alive-like, some new details you could not hear with D30 although I must admit D30 is already stunning when it comes to revealing all those "new" sounds you did not hear before and treble without any harshness with superb imaging, plenty of detail. Still one person, especially one not into hi-fi may say these sound nearly the same, but another one who did hear lots and lots of very expensive unit and already know how sublime the differences can be will say night and day.

 

[FireLion]

In my opinion yes, I did not hear other NuForce DACs, but UDH-100 is amazing for the price. Difference is all across the range, bass going way deeper while being better controlled, more energetic and quicker, midrange sounds fuller and thicker, voices are alive-like, some new details you could not hear with D30 although I must admit D30 is already stunning when it comes to revealing all those "new" sounds you did not hear before and treble without any harshness with superb imaging, plenty of detail. Still one person, especially one not into hi-fi may say these sound nearly the same, but another one who did hear lots and lots of very expensive unit and already know how sublime the differences can be will say night and day.

So it's then up for the amp to take over and make use of it? I am gonna try get new OPA1656's supposedly the distortion is super low.

 

[FireLion]

You're all gonna hate on me but I think I prefer the D10 sound, maybe it just meshes with my amp better than D30. I also put a V5I-d into it and it improved it audibly to my ears. Note: I do have bass heavy headphones and I will be testing them over the next few days just to make sure.

 

[Lt_George]

The D50s is now very close to release, and I don't expect Topping will be resting on their laurels, so I wondered if there have been any hints yet of a new model (D30s?) to supersede the D30?

 

[Veri]

The D50s is now very close to release, and I don't expect Topping will be resting on their laurels, so I wondered if there have been any hints yet of a new model (D30s?) to supersede the D30?

Doubtful since it is already on the budget side. Maybe either D10 or D30 will get a bluetooth version but if you want an upgrade, really, the D50s is it..